posted by The Johnson's @ 7:49 AM
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
A Three Year Old’s Answered Prayer
During the past couple months Andres has consistently prayed for two things: 1) A baby (he would like a sibling) and 2) A “pollito” – a little chicken. God has begun to answer his first request – as Nydia is now 7 weeks pregnant – the little one should arrive sometime around Thanksgiving! God has yet to answer the second request – we are waiting “expectantly” (no pun intended) to see what happens. We are not all that sure what we would do with a chicken, even a little one, in our small apartment.
Please pray that God would protect the little one and Nydia over the next number of months.
Summer is Drawing Near
It may not seem that close for many of you, but we are busy preparing for the arrival of our new summer volunteers. It is looking that we will have around 20+ college age young people here this summer serving in churches and social ministries throughout this vast city. By the way, if you know of any young men who might be interested in serving in Mexico City this summer please encourage them to think seriously about taking part in Spearhead (of course we’d be glad to have the young women as well, but the guys are slow in responding these days). Check out www.spearhead.org. We have moved back the application deadline to May 1st, for any last minute additions.
Please pray the Lord would raise up a good group of young people to serve here this summer.
Thankful for answered prayer!
Paul, Nydia & Andres Johnson
During the past couple months Andres has consistently prayed for two things: 1) A baby (he would like a sibling) and 2) A “pollito” – a little chicken. God has begun to answer his first request – as Nydia is now 7 weeks pregnant – the little one should arrive sometime around Thanksgiving! God has yet to answer the second request – we are waiting “expectantly” (no pun intended) to see what happens. We are not all that sure what we would do with a chicken, even a little one, in our small apartment.
Please pray that God would protect the little one and Nydia over the next number of months.
Summer is Drawing Near
It may not seem that close for many of you, but we are busy preparing for the arrival of our new summer volunteers. It is looking that we will have around 20+ college age young people here this summer serving in churches and social ministries throughout this vast city. By the way, if you know of any young men who might be interested in serving in Mexico City this summer please encourage them to think seriously about taking part in Spearhead (of course we’d be glad to have the young women as well, but the guys are slow in responding these days). Check out www.spearhead.org. We have moved back the application deadline to May 1st, for any last minute additions.
Please pray the Lord would raise up a good group of young people to serve here this summer.
Thankful for answered prayer!
Paul, Nydia & Andres Johnson
posted by The Johnson's @ 7:40 AM
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February – On the Road – Again and Again…
Texas
At the beginning of February we made a road trip to Texas to recruit for Spearhead, meet with Spearhead alumni and to see a few friends. We were blessed to visit friends in Monterrey, Mexico; in Edinburgh, Texas; San Antonio, Austin and Bastrop, Texas. We gave a presentation on opportunities with LAM and Spearhead at Hill Country Bible Church at the University of Texas at Austin and at the Asian American Intervarsity Fellowship meeting at Texas A& M.
Thanks for your prayers that sustained us (and our car) along the way!
Puebla, Mexico
Paul made a quick weekend visit to Puebla to visit one of the Spearhead YearOuters. This is the same city where Paul served for 5 months back in 1995!
San Jose Tenango, Oaxaca
The next week Paul was on the road once again headed to the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca. It takes about 6 hours in bus to arrive to a larger city in Oaxaca and then another 1 ½ hours in the back of their public transportation which happens to be an open pick-up truck. The bus ride is smooth for 4 hours and then the last two hours are all curves.
Our Mexican church supports a missionary who works with various churches in this area of Oaxaca. So, once a month the church is sending a team of people to train their leaders and others in various ministry skills. The people there speak an indigenous language called Mazateco. Many are bilingual – Spanish and Mazateco. I gave a talk on Biblical Interpretation and will return again in April to lead a workshop on practicing these interpretive skills and on preparing sermons.
March Ministries
Ixtapan de la Sal, Estado de Mexico – LAM’s Annual Missionary Retreat
Once a year we gather with other LAM missionaries for a retreat outside Mexico City. It is a good time of fellowship and renewal. We also have the opportunity to reconnect with some of those who serve in the Miami office of the mission. This year we were privileged to hear from and get to know LAM’s interim President Jack Voekel and his wife MaryAnne.
A chofer for a few days
After the retreat, Paul served as a chofer for Jack Voekel as he visited various LAM missionaries in their ministries in the south of Mexico City. It was a delight to spend time with him, as he has had an interesting missionary career in Colombia and his roots in the mission go way back – I was blessed to learn from his walk with the Lord through the years.
Missionary Photographer
We later had a visit from a LAM Missionary who is a photographic and media specialist (she visited one of the Spearheaders ministries and also was able to shadow us – Nydia in her girl’s discipleship group, the both of us in our cell group and teaching on Sunday – Paul with the young people and Nydia with the children). Soon you will see the fruits of her visit (a new prayer card and many great photos)!
Visits with Ministry Leaders
This month we visited with a Presbyterian pastor interested in having Spearheaders work in his church this summer in the areas of evangelism and discipleship and with the director of a Children’s Home in Morelia, Mexico where we will assign Spearheaders next fall for their Year Out ministry.
Please continue to pray for quality contacts for both summer and YearOut ministries.
Cell Group Transitions
This month marks a new landmark for one of our cell groups. The time has come for us to multiply. Nydia and I will be turning over the leadership of one of the groups after being with the group a little over a year and will take on a new group made up of “seekers” who know very little about the Scriptures. We are excited for this opportunity. We ask you to pray for Adriana as she takes on leadership of our former group and for us as we begin this new group.
Brief visit to Iguala, Mexico
At the end of the month we had the opportunity to visit some dear friends in Iguala, Mexico who came from Minneapolis to Iguala to celebrate their two year old’s birthday. We were blessed by their generosity that allowed us to make this trip. It was wonderful to see them and renew our friendship.
Last, but not least
Paul preached at our Mexican churches bimonthly mission’s Sunday. He preached from Philippians 4:10-20 where the apostle Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous support. Nydia prepared a dynamic PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the missionaries that our church supports. This Sunday our church was collecting new Faith Promises which are commitments to give towards the support of various missionaries our church supports. We are excited to share that they are now supporting 12 Latin missionaries who are serving with indigenous people’s here in Mexico, as well as serving in Honduras, Spain, Russia and soon China as well!
We were reminded of you as Paul preached from this passage…in the words of Paul (the apostle) we “…rejoice greatly in the Lord…” Philippians 4:10 …that “you have sent us aid again and again when we were in need” Philippians 4:16. Thanks for your faithful and consistent support that empowers us to minister here in Mexico.
We are grateful,
Paul, Nydia & Andres Johnson
Texas
At the beginning of February we made a road trip to Texas to recruit for Spearhead, meet with Spearhead alumni and to see a few friends. We were blessed to visit friends in Monterrey, Mexico; in Edinburgh, Texas; San Antonio, Austin and Bastrop, Texas. We gave a presentation on opportunities with LAM and Spearhead at Hill Country Bible Church at the University of Texas at Austin and at the Asian American Intervarsity Fellowship meeting at Texas A& M.
Thanks for your prayers that sustained us (and our car) along the way!
Puebla, Mexico
Paul made a quick weekend visit to Puebla to visit one of the Spearhead YearOuters. This is the same city where Paul served for 5 months back in 1995!
San Jose Tenango, Oaxaca
The next week Paul was on the road once again headed to the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca. It takes about 6 hours in bus to arrive to a larger city in Oaxaca and then another 1 ½ hours in the back of their public transportation which happens to be an open pick-up truck. The bus ride is smooth for 4 hours and then the last two hours are all curves.
Our Mexican church supports a missionary who works with various churches in this area of Oaxaca. So, once a month the church is sending a team of people to train their leaders and others in various ministry skills. The people there speak an indigenous language called Mazateco. Many are bilingual – Spanish and Mazateco. I gave a talk on Biblical Interpretation and will return again in April to lead a workshop on practicing these interpretive skills and on preparing sermons.
March Ministries
Ixtapan de la Sal, Estado de Mexico – LAM’s Annual Missionary Retreat
Once a year we gather with other LAM missionaries for a retreat outside Mexico City. It is a good time of fellowship and renewal. We also have the opportunity to reconnect with some of those who serve in the Miami office of the mission. This year we were privileged to hear from and get to know LAM’s interim President Jack Voekel and his wife MaryAnne.
A chofer for a few days
After the retreat, Paul served as a chofer for Jack Voekel as he visited various LAM missionaries in their ministries in the south of Mexico City. It was a delight to spend time with him, as he has had an interesting missionary career in Colombia and his roots in the mission go way back – I was blessed to learn from his walk with the Lord through the years.
Missionary Photographer
We later had a visit from a LAM Missionary who is a photographic and media specialist (she visited one of the Spearheaders ministries and also was able to shadow us – Nydia in her girl’s discipleship group, the both of us in our cell group and teaching on Sunday – Paul with the young people and Nydia with the children). Soon you will see the fruits of her visit (a new prayer card and many great photos)!
Visits with Ministry Leaders
This month we visited with a Presbyterian pastor interested in having Spearheaders work in his church this summer in the areas of evangelism and discipleship and with the director of a Children’s Home in Morelia, Mexico where we will assign Spearheaders next fall for their Year Out ministry.
Please continue to pray for quality contacts for both summer and YearOut ministries.
Cell Group Transitions
This month marks a new landmark for one of our cell groups. The time has come for us to multiply. Nydia and I will be turning over the leadership of one of the groups after being with the group a little over a year and will take on a new group made up of “seekers” who know very little about the Scriptures. We are excited for this opportunity. We ask you to pray for Adriana as she takes on leadership of our former group and for us as we begin this new group.
Brief visit to Iguala, Mexico
At the end of the month we had the opportunity to visit some dear friends in Iguala, Mexico who came from Minneapolis to Iguala to celebrate their two year old’s birthday. We were blessed by their generosity that allowed us to make this trip. It was wonderful to see them and renew our friendship.
Last, but not least
Paul preached at our Mexican churches bimonthly mission’s Sunday. He preached from Philippians 4:10-20 where the apostle Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous support. Nydia prepared a dynamic PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the missionaries that our church supports. This Sunday our church was collecting new Faith Promises which are commitments to give towards the support of various missionaries our church supports. We are excited to share that they are now supporting 12 Latin missionaries who are serving with indigenous people’s here in Mexico, as well as serving in Honduras, Spain, Russia and soon China as well!
We were reminded of you as Paul preached from this passage…in the words of Paul (the apostle) we “…rejoice greatly in the Lord…” Philippians 4:10 …that “you have sent us aid again and again when we were in need” Philippians 4:16. Thanks for your faithful and consistent support that empowers us to minister here in Mexico.
We are grateful,
Paul, Nydia & Andres Johnson
posted by The Johnson's @ 6:55 AM
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